


Dear little sister, please boldly go forward.

by ricemais



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, No Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 14:10:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16620512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ricemais/pseuds/ricemais
Summary: Don't look back, go climb that red tower. Toss that red ball, your brother will catch it. And when this is all over, we shall drink together that red, red sorghum wine.





	Dear little sister, please boldly go forward.

**Author's Note:**

> A mini drabble about Mooncake and her first Master Attendant. Except for the first and last parts, the rest are written in reversed chronological order, recounting events from: 1) shortly after his passing, 2) when they were happy together, 3) when they did not get along yet, and 4) shortly after she was first summoned.

 

* * *

 

  
Homicide.

This is a homicide.

Indeed, a homicide, the most devious, most wicked in all history.

A homicide without a culprit, without proof, without anyone knowing, without any way to prosecute.

Only I alone know that, your own cruel kindness has obliterated you from my life, the person I have cherished for all these years is no longer of this world.

 

* * *

 

   
_Awakening of Insects, the Third Solar Term._

 

 _Gege_ *, I had a long dream.

I dreamed that I was a human girl.

We grew up together in the house you used to keep me cooped up in, a tiny space surrounded by four moldy walls. As I lied on the mat, still in my work clothes cause it was the only clothes I had, you smiled, ruffled my hair and told me everything was going to be alright, and I felt like nothing in the universe could ever hurt me at all.

 _Gege_ , in my dream, we had friends. These twin brothers** who came from a faraway land. They'd come to help out every other day and eat with us. You baked my favourite butterbread. Laughters erupted under the leaky roof we all shared.

You scared off all the village kids that used to bully me. You fought off all the fallen angels, hid me behind your back and held my hand tight. _That day in Nevras_ never happened because you never left the Light Kingdom and we were together the entire time, celebrating mid-autumn under the full moon.

That morning after I woke up, I sobbed unstoppably on my way across town. I felt as if I had become one of the insects that were crying out from the wet earth. Everyone on the main street probably looked at me strangely but I could not tell through all the tears. I felt gross. I despised that dream so much, and yet deep somewhere inside of me, I wanted to treasure it.

I had lied to Master Attendant all this time. His love had serenaded my will and brought me to my ultimate ruin. I had forgotten that I was a food soul. I did not want to be strong anymore. I desired the luxury, the privilege to be able to afford to be weak. In my heart, I was just a little sister, safely sheltered under his wings.

 _“How could I have the heart, to bring to the battlefield, such a small, delicate little girl?”_ ***

 

* * *

 

   
_Tiny Heat, the Eleventh Solar Term._

 

I remember that particular day was too stuffy to stay inside, so I went to sit by the lotus pond near the small patch of osmanthus trees. The fragrance of rotting flowers filled the air. I dipped my bare feet into the cool water of the pond. Far away, down the riverbank, the villagers chattered away as they hand-washed their laundry loads. My empty stomach grumbled, like there were anxious grasshoppers jumping inside.

Soon familiar footsteps could be heard along a distinct clanking of armor. Along came Master Attendant, emerging from the bamboo grove, carrying a basket on the crook of his elbow, the legs of his pants rolled all the way up his thighs, revealing calves caked with mud. His handsome face was stoic as ever. Before he could call out to me, I started laughing uncontrollably at the contrast between his attire and his look.

“Mooncake, what is so funny? Have you been good while I was gone?” He put the basket on the ground. It was filled to the brim with bamboo shoots, potatoes, tomatoes, eggs, as well as a few onions and several carefully wrapped packs of pork belly. A good dinner awaited. Master Attendant pulled a bucket of water from the well and started washing the mud off his legs. At close distance, I noticed there was a speck of mud that somehow ended up on his face. The man apparently did not know and gave me a gentle smile after he was done cleaning his legs and taking off his upper armor. He also seemed to have forgotten that his pants were still rolled up.

“Master Attendant, there is mud on your face,” I managed to hold back my laughter.

“Oh, where is it?” He unconsciously touched his face. I pointed to the right side of my nose and said, “Right here.” He wiped his nose, spreading the mud all across. “Is it gone?” He then asked, to which I replied, cutely tilting my head, “Yes, all gone, perfectly handsome again, Master Attendant.”

He rubbed my head affectionately. “Mooncake, I told you that you could just call me _gege_. Master Attendant is too formal. You are just like a baby sister, you know.”

Thinking back, I really would have been very touched by that, if not for his mud-covered face. I faked a pout, saying something along the line of _do not underestimate me_ and _I am your fighter not your baby sister_.

“Mooncake, the battle was very fierce this time, everytime blood spilled, I felt relieved that you were safe at home.”

“You do remember that I am more physically capable and magically gifted than all the human warriors and most of their food souls, right?”

“That is not what I mean. Strength does not matter, Mooncake, _the way of the sword is pitiless_.”****

“Oh, please, don’t start quoting philosophical text now, Master Attendant. The mud on your face is not helping.”

“I am being serious, Mooncake - wait, I thought you said it was clean?”

I started laughing again as Master Attendant bent down to look at his reflection in the pond. Sighing, he scooped up some water and cleaned off the mud. That day’s dinner was pork belly slow-cooked with bamboo shoots, stir fried potatoes, tomato egg soup and lots of rice. We put aside the dishes and went to the night market afterwards, where I drank a lot of sorghum wine. This was my best memory for summer.

 

* * *

 

_  
White Dew, the Fifteenth Solar Term._

 

“Mooncake, mooncake, be a good girl and stop sulking.”

The cold moonlight scattered itself against the slate slabs of the street, congealing into drops of glittering dew. I shivered in the night breeze but refused to go inside. It had been more than half a year since I was summoned into the world by this stone-faced warrior, who seeked a talented, noble mage to fight alongside him in his noble war. And yet he never once let me use my magic. I did not even know which battlefield he fought at. Soldiers and villagers alike pestered me endlessly about my idleness while according to Master Attendant, apparently I was supposed to “just play”.

It was not infuriating, rather, it was depressing, isolating, anxiety-inducing.

This man either did not trust me, looked down on me, or he had other plans for me that were too shady to say. I was unable to tell anything from his serious, unflinching face.

No matter how much I talked to him, he was stubbornly determined. Tonight was the final straw the broke the camel’s back, and I stormed outside to sit on a tree.

“Mooncake, come down here.” He kept calling out in a firm, low voice. _Whatever_ , I thought, I was not going to be intimidated by a mortal being. _If he would not listen, I then shall not talk._

After a while, he gave up and just sat down dejectedly by the tree. A long silence followed, as long as it took for a whole incense stick to burn completely. A dog barked from the forest. Some children’s laughters could be faintly heard from the direction of the town.

“It is the mid-autumn festival tonight. When I was young, I would always went on a parade and lit sky lanterns.” The man suddenly spoke. How was he planning to coax me, this time?

“Mooncake, I will not try to reason with you with a sob story. And I don’t need you to agree with me. All I need is that you are safe from the war, along with all the regular people.”

“Are you still not coming down?”

His tone was both stern and calm. I already knew I was fighting a losing battle. But I also did not want to give in just like that.

“Mooncake…” I heard the grass shuffling as Master Attendant stood up, “ _Meimei_ *****, let’s go inside. _Gege_ will treat you to a drink, so come home with me.”

Did this man fancy me his little sister? What was this, a game of house? The unexpected vulnerability in his voice seemed to tug at my heartstrings. Before I could make any sense of it, a low, raspy croon of a tune flowed into my ears.

“ _The great path to heaven stretches,_

_Nine-thousand nine-hundred nine-thousand nine-hundred nine, ya_

_Meimei, you boldly go forward, walk straight forward, don’t you ever turn back, little lady_

_From now on, you go climb the red embroidered chamber, ya_

_Toss the red embroidered ball of fate, ya_

_Aim it straight at my head, ya_

_I shall then share a bottle with you, ya_

_Red, red sorghum wine, ya_

_Red, red sorghum wine, he…_ ” ******

Master Attendant was not good at singing, and the rough northwestern folk style did not make it any easier on the ears. But it did made me jump down from the tree.

“Please stop, _gege_ ,” I scorned, “ _Meimei_ ’s ears are going to bleed, thank you.”

That was the first time I saw his true, big smile.

 

* * *

 

_  
Major Cold, the Twenty-Fourth Solar Term._

 

The flywheel cut through the herd of fallen angels in a deadly, elegant crescent, spilling a trail of blood before it was finally caught in my hand. There was only one demon left, a gigantic, hideous abomination of rotten flesh, innards and sharp fangs.

“Come,” I smirked at the monster, licking my lower lip, “ _Transform into a demon beast and come devour me._ ”

I heard someone scream my name. _Must be that guy_ , I thought. Master Attendant, or something. I quickly threw him out of my mind as I skipped around the site. As the fallen angel hurled its heavy body after me, I started giggling.  
  
_Find me leaping across icy grounds. Crack your bloodshot eyes open. Come devour me._

I half-heartedly unleashed an attack at the monster. There was no way I could miss it. The wretched thing shrieked as one of its tentacles flew away.

**_“MOONCAKE!!”_ **

I ignored the man’s voice and continued luring the monster around. Long ears perked up, I was basked in delight. _Hop. Hop. Heartily. Hop._ Behind me, the fallen angel screamed, harrowing noises echoed with each of my rapid attacks. My flywheel soared.

I could not help taunting the beast.  
  
“You want me. Then dedicatedly chase after me.”  
  
“Oh, I hear you, your footsteps and heartbeats, your shrieks of agony. I feel you. Heated, famished, icy sweat. Absolutely don't give up.”  
  
“Oh, your flesh is cut bloody. It's fine. Now you have fallen in a heap. You’re deformed. It's fine. Just fervently keep chasing me.”

“Think about how delicious it will be. On this winter mountain, covered in snow, only you and I remain. It’s three days more to the next closest pray. Oh, my flesh is exquisite.”

As I reached the edge of the forest, I made a stop. Time was up. Now I only needed the beast to come at the right distance.

“Ah, you’ve caught up to me.” I laughed.

In one fell swoop, the monster’s neck was cut.

It collapsed into dust, which fell on the filthy, tainted snow.  
  
Afterwards, the praises I expected never came. The man, who I called Master Attendant, simply held my hand as we walked back to the carriage, that took us on a long, long road, through many barren winter fields, to his village. “Mooncake,” he said, “This will be your home from now on. If we have to go anywhere, stay by my side. Never leave me to fight alone like that again.”

 

* * *

 

   
_Clear Brightness, the Fifth Solar Term._

 

The road through the bamboo grove to the southern end of the sorghum village was long but narrow. One could cross it in eleven steps, but to walk from start to finish would take as long as burning an incense.

At the end, there was an old country home, now collapsed into ruins. Inside the dwelling, there was a small osmanthus garden. A dry well stood at the corner, beside a lotus pond. Purple waterlilies and pink lotus flowers were blooming, emerald lotus leaves floating on the water like tiny clouds.

And there he was, waiting for me, certain as stone.

“ _Gege_ ,” I called out as we came close. Lighting an incense stick, I placed it on the censer, “Another year has passed, _meimei_ has come to visit you.”

The twin boys placed chrysanthemums on the grave, clasped their palms and prayed. They had come to know by heart this kingdom’s ritual of paying respect to the deceased. Behind me, a young girl******* brightly exclaimed, “So this is Mooncake’s home. It’s so beautiful.” She took off her hat and bowed at the gravestone.

“Thanks, but you still cannot have any red sorghum wine.” I turned to tousle her hair.

“Oh, no fair…” She pouted and I smiled. So this was how it felt like to have a baby sister. The wind carried a nostalgic scent of osmanthus flowers, in my ears, I could faintly hear the tune of the red sorghum.

_Dear meimei, you, please boldly go forward_

_Walk straight forward, don’t you ever turn back, little lady_

_The great path to heaven stretches_

_Nine thousand, nine hundred, nine thousand, nine hundred, nine, ya…_

**Author's Note:**

> * 哥哥, big brother  
> ** Refers to Double Scoop, who Mooncake's MA died saving  
> *** Line from Mooncake’s backstory  
> **** 刀剑无情, a popular saying, often in martial art context  
> ***** 妹妹, little sister  
> ****** This is a song written in Northwestern Chinese folk style, OST from the movie Red Sorghum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va1EukgVZSo)  
> ******* Refers to Tangyuan


End file.
